Will Trade Deadline Make or Break Isles Season?

The Islanders will sit one point out of a playoff spot by the time the trade deadline passes. In the past month they have made the steady climb from last in the Eastern Conference to playoff relevancy. The trade deadline is today, March 1 at 3:00pm and after that we may have a more clear picture on how the Islanders season will play out.

The Metropolitan division is by far the best in hockey. The Washington Capitals currently sit atop of the Metropolitan standings, and they improved their team by acquiring Kevin Shattenkirk. The Islanders will not only have to worry about what trades they make, but also the trades other teams make.

Matt Duchene’s name has been on the trading block for what seems like an eternity. Duchene would be a player that could put the Islanders over the top. He may not make them Stanley Cup favorites, but he will make them the favorite to finish as a Wild Card team.

In the NHL if you make the playoffs you have a chance. All you need is a goalie to get hot at the right time and anything can happen. I would love to see the Islanders make a big splash at the deadline and propel themselves into the postseason.

Looking at Islanders General Manager, Garth Snow’s deadline track record you are not going to find many big moves. He’ll typically opt to go with a depth move like a Shane Prince or Tyler Kennedy. It takes two to tango so Snow will also need another GM to agree to a big deal. With any luck this will be the year the Isles acquire a big name player to put them over the edge.

The Islanders have been playing much better hockey in the past month. Landing a Matt Duchene would make them an even better team. A big deal could turn the Isles into a dangerous playoff team. When it comes to the playoffs, if you get in anything can happen.